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YA superstar Rainbow Rowell names her favorite fictional schools

School is important — not necessarily in real life, but certainly in any teen-focused book, movie or TV show. It's where our heroes and heroines interact without parental supervision, have some of their biggest life events, and attend ever-important school dances. If you've ever seen Mean Girls or Carrie, you know a school dance can literally mean life or death.

New York Times bestselling author Rainbow Rowell's newest novel Carry On follows in the proud tradition of other teen tales, choosing a school as its central setting. We asked the acclaimed author (and knowledgable nerd) to name a few of her favorite fictional schools — besides Watford School of Magicks, Carry On's home base.

Read on to learn where Rowell wishes she could've spent her studious youth:

1. Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters

"I think it’s called something else now, but the version I loved was for 'Gifted Youngsters,' and I’ve spent more time dreaming about it than any other fictional environment.

All my teenage superhero fantasies were actually boarding school fantasies: having my own room in the X-Mansion, taking classes taught by X-Men, hanging out in the X-library while everybody else was outside playing X-baseball …"

2. Plumfield Estate School

"I read Little Women in middle school, I think. And it was fine.

But then I read Little Men. And then I read it again. And again. Plumfield is the school that Jo and Prof. Bhaer start after they get married -– and it’s full of tragic boys. SO MANY TRAGIC BOYS TO FALL IN LOVE WITH. There’s a handsome street tough. And a frail artist who plays the violin. Orphans! Sailors! Infirmities! Everyone suffers beautifully, but everyone finds acceptance at Plumfield. And pillow fights are allowed on Saturday nights.*"

*This is not a joke.

3. Brakebills Academy

"Brakebills is the school for magic in Lev Grossman’s Magicians trilogy. And what I like best about it is that it’s terrifying. There’s this feeling you get in The Magicians that the world around the main characters is infinite — and infinitely sliding out of control.

Every inch of Brakebills has a beautiful, terrifying backstory, and you just get glimpses of it. Like, 'Oh, yeah, and be careful of that fountain. There’s a girl reflected there, and she’ll teach you a spell to ruin your face.' You don’t even want to know what happens at the Brakebills graduation. (Yes, you do! Read the books!)"

4. Welton Academy

Robin Williams teaching a class in a scene from the film 'Dead Poets Society', 1989.

Image: Touchstone Pictures/Getty Images

"This is the school from Dead Poets Society, and to be honest, it seems pretty restrictive and horrible. But Welton is THE fictional boarding school for me. I saw Dead Poets Society in high school, and I left the theater drunk on autumn leaves, wool sweaters, bagpipe music, and handsome boys with acne. (I was 16, so this was age appropriate.) (Knox Overstreeeeeeeet.)

I listened to the Dead Poets Society soundtrack a lot when I was writing Carry On. And even though my book is set near London, not the American Northeast, I kept picturing Simon and Baz in those Welton duffel coats, walking through the snow."

5. Hogwarts

Image: Warner Bros.

"I mean. Of course, Hogwarts. When I think about Hogwarts, I think of safety and home, and perpetual wonder. Of feeling completely comfortable in a place, but still knowing that it can surprise you. The parts of Hogwarts I love most are the whimsical, dreamy parts — the ceiling of the Great Hall, the feasts, the Yule Ball, the colors. J.K. Rowling created a school that you longed to get to, even as a reader. Every time you started a new Harry Potter book, you felt like Harry did -– let’s get back to Hogwarts."

6. Pigfarts

"Pigfarts is like Hogwarts, but better. It’s on Mars. And the headmaster is a lion. Called Rumbleroar. Who can talk. I’m probably gonna go there next year."

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